Let Me Take You There
by alitablake
Summary: Ren is lost in his own mind reliving the trauma of his past. Can Kyoko bring him out of his nightmare?  Alternate Continuation of Ch165. Rated M for a small little part...  No Lemons, No Limes.
1. Let Me Take You There

**A/N:****Just a note. This was in my Daydreamer's Playlist as Chapter 16 and 17 but I wanted to showcase it a bit more and Spherrow's comment pushed me to do so. So if you already read this on that list. Thank you and sorry for the repost.**

**I've been bitten by the last chapter bug. LOL. I read the last chapter (165) then I heard this delightful song and I had to write a What If scenario about what occurred next.I Do Not own Skip Beat! or the inspired song. This story was inspired by two songs. The first is Let Me Take You There by Plain White T's. The story ran away with me again so I split it up into two chapters. I hope you enjoy it.**

**Rated M for a small little part... No Lemons, No Limes.  
**

"Nothing has worked. It's like he is just a shell. The doctors say there isn't anything wrong with him. There was no head trauma. There isn't a scratch or bruise on him. They have no clue what is wrong and he won't say anything. What do we do?"

Lory sat staring out the window thinking about the situation at hand. Yashiro sat impatiently like a mother hen waiting for a response. He knew that Katsuki would be difficult for Ren but not in this way. It was simply that he didn't know how to portray that type of love and therefore wouldn't be good for the role.

Then Kyoko appears in his life and he witnessed something of a miracle. Kyoko. Now that he knew what she meant to him, he felt comfortable with Ren taking on the BJ role. He always thought that the BJ role would be the hardest for him, reminding him of his tainted past, not the Katsuki role. After the love hurdle, Katsuki was a breeze then this almost accident happens.

"You say he's been like this all day? Since the shooting?"

Yashiro nodded, "Yes. Since he didn't talk we took him to the hospital right away. He's been there since just in a daze."

He must be reliving the nightmare. Foolish boy. Lory sighed, "When did Mogami-san see him?"

"Kyoko-chan?" Yashiro thought about it. "It was before the shooting. She stopped by to see him and then he walked her back to her shoot in Culture Park. Why?"

Lory sat up suddenly, "So she hasn't seen him at all after the incident?"

Yashiro frowned thinking about it, "Um, I don't think so. She was there. She ran all the way over but after Director Ogata saw him the ambulance came and they took Ren and me away. I'm not sure where she is now."

"Well then there is the damn problem. Come on, we'll pick her up." Lory stood up and Yashiro promptly stumbled after him.

_Daruma-ya's_

Kyoko sat in the middle of her room with her new doll in her hand. She caressed her thumb over his face, that off in the distance, frightened, soulless look was perfectly etched on the little doll. Something in her chest ached as she continued to stare at it. He was hurt or troubled by something. The little boy was safe and both Igarashi-san and himself were unharmed.

So then what happened? And why would it be that same look in the alley? She didn't understand. What about those two instances caused him to blank out like that? She couldn't connect the fight with the car. There was a knock on her door that ceased her thoughts. She stood up, setting the little doll down and opened it up.

"Kyoko-chan, you have some visitors downstairs." The okami-san knew something was up. Kyoko was just so down and out but when she asked about it she simply said she didn't know.

"Is it Moko-san?" She stepped out to the hall and followed the older woman down.

"No, it's two men. They said their names were Yashiro-san and Takarada-san. You do know them, right?"

"Yes. Yashiro-san is Tsuruga-san's manager but Takarada-san is the president of LME. Why would he be here?" Kyoko walked a little faster now that she knew who was here. Yashiro knew where she lived since Ren has dropped her off so many times but for the president to be here. She took the stairs as fast as she could and the moment she turned the corner she saw them and they saw her.

"SETSUKA!" Lory bellowed. Kyoko instantly shifted but walked over to him as quickly as possible. This was supposed to be a secret. While there was no one to see her and connect Setsuka to her, she was still frightened of people finding out.

Lory continued. "Why aren't you taking care of your brother like you promised? He just got into an accident and is currently in the hospital and you are here in a ramen shop doing what? Hmm?"

Kyoko pressed her lips together upset by the turn of events and Setsuka didn't hold. She could feel her eyes water at her failed attempts, "If I was his sister, then maybe they would have let me see him!" Lory and Yashiro were stunned at her outburst and then a silent tear fell from the corner of her eye and she continued.

"Do you honestly think that if I could be there that I would be here? I tried to go see him but they excused me as some fan." She wiped at her face and then looked at Yashrio.

"What did they say? Is he going to be alright?" She asked.

Yashiro looked down and licked his lips, "They don't know. There's been no change at all and they don't know why."

"And that is why you should be there. Come on, we will get you in." Lory spoke up and Kyoko nodded.

"Let me get a few things." Kyoko ran back upstairs, grabbed her coat and also a small coin purse. She ran back down and they headed out. They all trucked into the Lory's limo and they headed to the hospital he was staying. They were soon stopped short at the nurse's desk.

"He checked out?" Yashiro blinked at the nurse confused, "But he wasn't doing anything. Not talking or moving or anything. How did he check out?"

"The doctor told him there was nothing wrong with him. He still didn't say anything. The doctor told him that he could stay the night for observation or he was free to go if he wished. That was when he did something. He simply got up and left."

"Where did he go?" It was Kyoko that spoke this time. All three of them looked at her. Her voice was so thick with worry.

"I don't know. Once a patient leaves the hospital we are not responsible. I'm sorry, but I do hope you find him." The nurse then returned to her work and the three were left a little lost. Lory pulled out his cell and dialed for him, nothing.

"I didn't really think he would answer." He said solemnly.

"Well, we have to go look for him." Kyoko started to walk and Lory caught her.

"Let's start in the most obvious places first. All he does is work and sleep so we will go to LME, Dark Moon's studio and then his apartment."

LME was closest to the hospital and most of the people had already left. They searched the area and asked anyone if they had seen him. No one had. Next was the Dark Moon Studio but everything was locked up tight.

"His car is still here." Kyoko stopped the two men at the door. They looked at her and then down her arm to where she was pointing. His white car sat alone in the lot. They all moved to it, hoping perhaps he was there but nothing. It was empty, the little red light of his alarm still on.

The one place they didn't think they would find him was at home. Yet there he was. They found him in bed fully clothed with an empty bottle of scotch lying next to him. He was on his stomach, sleeping soundly. The three of them returned to his living room.

"Well at least we know he is safe at home." Yashiro whispered.

"Aye, we should go. Mogami-san, you stay here." Lory ordered and started to walk out the door.

"EH!" She screeched out then slapped her hand over her mouth. They all stayed silent and waited for him to find them. He didn't move at all.

"Setsuka, you need to stay with your brother. He is hurting and needs you." Lory explained and then grimaced as Kyoko, not Setsuka, hesitated. He stepped out to her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Mogami-san. There are things I cannot tell you about Ren. Only he can but I can tell you one thing is that he is hurting and he can't recover from his past alone. I've tried for years to help him overcome that pain but nothing I do is working." He paused.

She shook her head lightly, "There isn't anything I can do. What are you expecting from me?"

"Nothing. Just be there for him, talk to him and make sure he eats. Ren spoke to me about something that happened between you two last night. Something bothered him and he had a request that I left in his hands. He wouldn't tell me what happened though, would you mind telling me?"

Kyoko hesitated. If he didn't want to say what happened then should she? What if he knew that Lory would get upset at him, punish him for almost causing a scene in public, one that could hurt his career? She pressed her lips together. What if telling him would help him now?

"Do you promise not to get angry at him or punish him in anyway?" She whispered and then glanced up at him.

Lory was confused but he nodded, "I promise. What you say will not leave this room and will have no repercussions." She nodded and told him everything, from the point of them leaving the hotel to get her more clothes and then the four men who approached her. She was looking at her hands or at the floor as she recalled the story so both men didn't see the smile on their lips as she recalled the fight.

_He truly does love her. _Their thoughts were identical and then they both got serious again once she almost got hurt. They agreed completely with Ren. No one should treat a young lady like Kyoko like that.

"I screamed out for him not to kill him. I thought he was BJ and I got so frightened for him. He can't have that on his hands. He stopped and just stayed there frozen, staring at the fallen man. I had never seen him like that before." She looked up at Lory whose face was completely hidden, masked.

"But then I saw it again today at the incident. He snapped out of it right away though. Why didn't he this time? No one was hurt. In fact, more people were hurt in the fight than in this stunt. I don't understand."

"How did he snap out of it? Did he say anything or do anything?" Yashiro asked trying to find the secret of it.

"No. I walked up to him, kept calling him Nii-san and then I grabbed his arm and he looked at me and asked me if it was over. Then everything was fine."

Lory smiled. He was right but he hoped that it would work this time as well. "Well whatever you did, Mogami-san, it worked. I need you to stay and see if it will work again. He is unconscious right now but he may wake up and wonder somewhere else. If you got him out of it last time, you might be able to do it again. Please, stay here until he is better."

"But what about…" Kyoko started then was interrupted.

"You are both free till Monday. Yashiro and I will make the necessary arrangements. I'll have someone bring you your things." They both started to walk out, leaving her in the lion's den

"But I don't know what to do?" She pleaded. She wanted to help. She desperately wanted to help but she didn't have the first clue on where to start.

"Talk to him, help him if he needs it, feed him and don't let him wonder out of your site. He might tell you to leave but just leave the room. I am ordering you to stay within 5 meter of him. He is too unstable."

"Yes sir." She whispered and then bowed. Yashiro gave her his key that they entered with and smiled at her.

"Don't worry, Kyoko-chan. He is alive and well, just upset. Don't let him upset you and stay strong. He needs all the support he can get right now if what Takarada-san said is true. Call me if you need anything at all."

Kyoko smiled, "Thank you, Yashiro-san."

The two men left and Kyoko was left alone with her thoughts. She placed the key in her purse along with corn. Looking at the little bluish purple stone, she picked it up and pushed all her worries into it. She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly and still felt tightness in her chest.

She sighed and looked around. His jacket was lying on the floor as were his keys. She walked up and picked them up. She put them away and then gingerly went to his room. He hadn't moved since the first time she saw him. He was splayed out on his bed, snoring softly. He even had his shoes on still.

She walked over but was afraid to touch him, to awake him. She saw the empty bottle in the middle of the bed and she had to crawl up a little to reach it. She placed her knee on the bed and he moved. She stilled her arm still out reaching for the bottle and she even stopped breathing. He simply shifted his arm up and turned his head towards her. When his soft snoring came back, she let go of the breath she was holding.

She grabbed the bottle and backed away. The bottle was massive and felt heavy in her hands and it was empty! She wondered how much was in it. Did he drink the whole thing or was it half empty or maybe there was only a glass full so he drank straight out of the bottle? Watching him, knowing that three people that he didn't know just walked into his condo and he didn't even budge, she was sure he drank close to, if not the entire bottle.

She sat on the floor beside his feet and put her hands on his shoe. She moved his foot lightly and he didn't move or wake up screaming at who was there. She thought it was safe so she took them off. They just slipped off without any real effort. She walked them back to his front door and then returned. She slipped off his socks and tossed them aside. She would have liked to push him on the bed more but there was no way. He was simply too heavy. He would have to remain there. Once she realized there was nothing more for her to do, she turned to see if she could sleep.

"I'm sorry." She froze at the door and turned back. He had turned to his left side and she could see his mouth moving. She walked back to the bed curiously.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He was mumbling and her heart almost broke. What was he sorry for? What happened? She frowned and left him be going into the guest room.

_The next morning_

Kyoko managed to get about four hours of sleep. Her mind was consumed with trying to figure out the best way to help him. Lory said something she did helped last time but she really didn't know what. She called him Nii-san and then drew his attention to her, to his sister.

The only other time she needed to get something out of him was… Kyoko smiled, when he was sick. She said a line and he snapped to attention. Her calling out Nii-san was like a line to him. He came back because his professionalism called to him! It was 7:30 in the morning and she went to his room. He was still sound asleep. She didn't want to wake him up. He had the rest of the week off which was four days so he could sleep in. Meanwhile she could call Yashiro-san for food.

Four hours later, a visit and update to Yashiro-san and her checking every hour on the hour, she found Ren in a different position. He was lying on the middle of the bed with his arm over his eyes. He had to be awake. All this time, he didn't move much at all as he slept; now he was in a completely different area of the bed. She rushed to get a glass of water and aspirin and then tried to call out Setsu. She wasn't dressed like her but she hoped that it would still work.

"Nii-san. You have been sleeping in too much. Luckily, it's your day off so I let you since you drank so much last night." She sat on the edge of his bed and held out the glass of water and aspirin to him. He didn't move. He didn't acknowledge her, he just breathed quietly.

"Niiiiiii-san!" She whispered and then frowned. He was supposed to react. He was supposed to turn away from her and tell her to go away in a teasing manner. She set the glass and pills down on his bedside table and crawled up onto the bed.

"Tsuruga-san." She called out and pulled his arm away from his face. He looked at her. She saw the recognition in his eyes and then he pulled away. He pulled his hand from hers and turned away from her. He didn't say anything and she was choking back the tears.

"Tsuruga-san, please, everything is okay. No one got hurt." His arm whipped out when she said the last line. She jumped back, his arm raised in the air telling her to be quiet. She pressed her lips together and crawled off the bed. She didn't know what Lory was talking about. She still didn't understand how she could help if she didn't know what was wrong.

Two more hours passed and she finished making lunch. It was simple broth soup and congee. She doubted that he would eat any solids but she thought she would at least try. She learned this congee recipe from the Taisho at Daruma-ya's. He added extra ingredients to it to make it taste better than simple rice and water. It wasn't much but it was still better. She took the two bowls into the bedroom and found him still awake.

It didn't look like he touched the glass of water and he didn't take the aspirin. She walked over and set the bowls down on the table.

"Tsuruga-san, I made you something to eat. I know you are feeling bad but you have to eat. Just a little bit, please." She watched his eyes flicker to her and then he closed them. She bowed slightly and walked out, her old training kicking in. The pain in her chest seemed to double when she looked at him. He still hasn't moved, his head must be hurting, he hasn't showered or changed. Did he even go to the bathroom? She didn't see him walk out but he had his own private bathroom too.

She ate her lunch in silence. She was hoping to hear him move or the gentle clink of the dishes she left in his room. After finishing her meal and cleaning up, she went to check on him again. Everything was still the same. He didn't touch the food.

"Ren!" She screamed and he flinched. A reaction! She got a reaction, it was probably from pain but she didn't care. She took the soup spoon from the bowl and crawled up on the bed.

"You are going to eat. Here." She stuck the spoon in his hand twisting his fingers around it and he held it. She smiled and looked at his face. He was watching her with this sad, lost, painful, confused look on his face. She swallowed a lump and took a deep breath. _No crying, Kyoko._ She told herself and leaned over and picked up the bowl.

"It's still slightly warm. Come on eat." She held the bowl to him but he didn't move, he just kept looking at her. She wondered what was going through his mind, if there was anything at all. She sighed and put the bowl back down. She took spoon back and he let her.

"Come on, Ren, sit up." She took his arm in both of hers and then pulled him up with all her might. He did come up and then leaned over her. She started to panic as his weight was pushing her down slightly but she felt him pull back slightly, holding his own weight. She smiled again and looked up at him, which stole her smile away. He was upset but not yet to his demon lord point.

"Go home." He whispered and sat up away from her. With those two words, her heart was racing in excitement. He was conscious and aware. That was a huge improvement.

"After you eat." She said and reached for the bowl. She felt him move and then suddenly she was pinned underneath him, her hands dipping into the soft mattress as he held her down. She looked up at him, the demon lord that she knew and felt her blood run cold.

"You shouldn't be around me. Go home." He repeated and she found it hard to breath. She was so frightened that even her tears refused to run. She couldn't find her voice but she could move her body. She shook her head, no.

No. She wasn't leaving. She wasn't going to leave him here alone while he was like this. No one should be alone when they were in pain. She knows what it's like and she didn't wish that on anyone, especially him. He growled in frustration and she felt his hands tighten around her wrist. She whimpered at the pain slightly and he looked at her.

She watched him change and her eyes widened. This was new and she stopped breathing. He didn't smirk like that face normally would have. His eyes were calculating, half lidded but darker somehow. It was like the demon lord was trying to be seductive. No, not seductive, there was nothing nice in that look. At least his normal Emperor face promised pleasure; this one only promised her pain.

She started to squirm under him, trying to escape, this was worse than Reino. With Reino, she knew he wanted to play with her, with this Ren, she didn't know what he wanted. Was this why Reino was so afraid of him? He leaned in and she closed her eyes. She couldn't move. She didn't stand a chance against him. Her heart was pounding and it hurt.

He licked her neck and she screamed in pain when he bit her ear. It didn't feel like he broke skin but her adrenaline was so high, she couldn't trust it. His teeth went down her neck as he combined her wrists in his right. She felt his hand move down her arm. She squirmed as his hand brushed over her breast. She felt her body heat up and she pushed against him as best as she could. His left hand gripped her breast painfully and she groaned.

His mouth was nibbling her skin and then he would lick and suck her skin roughly. It would have felt good if it wasn't for the pain in her wrist and breast and the fear that churned inside of her. He released her breast and shoved his hand up her skirt, his hand dipped into her panties, roughly cupping her ass.

"STOP! No!" She screamed out and he did stop. He pulled away from her like he was tired.

"Go home." He repeated as she hugged herself. She pulled her skirt back down and flexed her wrists, tears threatened to fall but she caught them before they did. She could feel her body shaking, humming from the attempted rape. She shifted her body to move off the bed then she looked at him.

He was broken. He wasn't looking at her, at anything but his own hands. She peered at his face and saw nothing. He was blank and lifeless. Yet as she looked into his eyes, there was fear, horror and hopelessness. Her heart had yet to calm down. What he did scared her beyond anything in this world yet somewhere inside of her she felt like she couldn't leave. If she left, there would be nothing left in this man.

She thought about her own safety, her own feelings. Everyone used her in her life. Her mother abused her physically and emotionally. Sho abused her just as her mother did and masked it with a fake love or caring. Then entered Ren, who was the kindest, gentlest person she had ever met and he almost rapes her.

But he stopped. He stopped when she said no. It was all a ploy, an act. But what if it wasn't? What if he tries again? He really wouldn't touch an unsexy girl like herself. It was just a scare tactic, right?

Kyoko picked up the bowl of broth and the spoon. She could feel his eyes on her, his eyes sending shivers down her spine. No doubt, he was expecting her to take the bowls and leave but instead she turned towards him and started to dip the spoon into the bowl. Ren snapped and swung his arm out, knocking into her hands and spilling the room temperature broth onto his bed.

"JUST LEAVE!" He pinned her down again and she shook her head.

"I'm staying." She whispered, hoping her voice didn't sound frightened.

He sneered and then kissed her. She shook as his mouth violently ravaged hers. His tongue dipped inside of hers and almost made her choke in surprise. She tried to breath past it and he moved back letting her breath. Her eyes widened as his kiss softened, his gripped softened but he didn't pull back.

She started to kiss him back. Her fingers wove between his. If this was what he wanted, then so be it. If this would help him then she could sacrifice this part of her. She couldn't love again so waiting for marriage was pointless and she could do worse than losing her virginity to Tsuruga Ren.

His hands caressed down her arms and he started to lie down on top of her. His touch was gentle now. She didn't understand why. She didn't know if he was truly like this or if he liked it the other way. This would be her first, if it was rough like the first or gentle like this, she didn't know. He pressed his body against hers and she could feel him hard against her thigh. She shuddered, her body not able to cope with what her mind was allowing this man to do to her.

She was shaking but allowing him to do anything he wanted. He pulled away from the kiss, pushed his body away from hers and looked at her. She was pale, almost white but her lips. Her lips were flush with blood, pouty and wet. Her hands were woven with his and her body didn't resist. She didn't resist.

"I will do it." He threatened. She simply nodded, her eyes still closed. He took her hand and made her cup his crotch.

"See, I want you. Don't think I'll stop if you scream." He watched her open her eyes, shinning with unshed tears and look up at him. She smiled as best she could and nodded.

"Take me. I won't stop you." She whispered in a shaky voice. He removed his hand from hers but she stayed cupping him. He rolled away, off of her with a heavy breath. He was defeated. He wouldn't, couldn't do that to her even if she did say yes, everything about her was screaming no.

Kyoko stayed lying down on the bed with her arms holding her chest together. The color returned to her skin and she could breathe without trouble. He didn't do it. She knew he couldn't do it. Even though her hand still remembered the evidence of his arousal, she knew he wouldn't force her.

Still shaky she picked up the dropped bowl and set it aside. She will clean the bed momentarily. She picked up the congee and the spoon and walked out. She returned three minutes later with a steaming bowl of congee. She found him hunched over sitting on the side of the bed, his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. She sat beside him and he looked at her with that dead emotionless face.

She turned slightly towards him and filled up the spoon. She blew on it softly and held it up to him. She saw his lips press together slightly and then took the food into his mouth. She spoon fed him the entire bowl. If he made any type of reaction to it, she would have been embarrassed feeding him like this but he didn't. He didn't blush. He didn't frown or roll his eyes like he was too old to be feed like this. He took the spoon into his mouth, took the food and swallowed. His face never changed, he didn't even look at her. He just ate.

She was hoping that he would be okay now. That he would speak to her or start to recover after his efforts of getting rid of her. But instead he just gave up and started moping again. Well he ate. Maybe he will do other things. She took all the dishes and dropped them off in the sink to be taken care of later. When she returned, he was still there, his mind far off in the distance. She went into his bathroom and started to fill the tub with water and then she stopped.

_What if…. _She was staring into the water. _What if he tried to…. _Kyoko couldn't finish the thought. She looked over to the shower and thought that was a better option. She turned it on and got the temperature just right. She walked back into the bedroom and everything was still the same. She walked up to him and looked at his face. He was still in a daze. She took his hand and started to walk back.

He didn't fight her. He stood up and walked with her. She led him to the shower and let go of his hand. He stood there with his eyes on her but not looking at her. She walked around him and to his drawers. She took the first pair of clean underwear out and then went to his closet for the first pair of jeans and a shirt that she found. She walked back into the bathroom with his new clothes. He was still just standing there.

"Tsuruga-san, please undress and take a shower. I'll be right outside. See, look, I've got your clothes right here, so you can change." She placed them on the sink. She took a step back and he didn't lift a finger, a muscle didn't twitch.

"Ren, please." She pleaded with him and he blinked then lifted his arms. She quickly turned away as he stripped off his shirt, letting it land on the floor. His hands were unbuckling his pants when she closed the door. She collapsed on the floor by the door, her tears finally being let go. She pressed her hand to the door.

"What's wrong, Ren?" She whispered. _Please don't leave me alone._

An hour later, Ren was still in the shower and Kyoko cleaned up. She took all the sheets on his bed and they were in the dryer now. She cleaned up the dishes that were left and then waited patiently in his room. He took long showers. They had only spent one night together so this was perhaps normal. He just liked the water.

Thirty more minutes later and the sheets were already clean and she made the bed. This wasn't right. If this was her home, the hot water would have surely been out by now. Even in the lavish apartment she rented for Sho, the hot water didn't last this long. She opened the bathroom door.

"Ren?" She peeked in, _Déjà vu._ She thought of the hotel room they shared just the other night. But instead of the flimsy shower curtain that prevented her from seeing his form, there was frosted glass that blurred his body and she didn't like what she saw.

She rushed over and found him sitting on the floor on the tile shivering. The hot water didn't last and the rush of cold water turned his skin to ice. She quickly turned off the water and reached over for the towel.

"Ren, stand up." She took his hand and pulled. She never thought that she would react like this at seeing a man naked for the first time. Especially since, this man was Tsuruga Ren, yet while she saw every little bit of him, all she could feel was fear. She was scared of what was happening, worried about what was going on inside of him to make him act this way.

She wrapped the towel around his hips and sat him down on the edge of the bath tub. She went and got another towel. She walked over to him and started to pat him dry. She gently dabbed the water off his face. She ran the towel over his shoulders and arms, over his torso and down his calves and feet. She hoped that the towel around his waist took care of the rest. He didn't move or say anything while she did this. It was like she wasn't even there.

She stepped into the tub and started to dry his hair. She took great care in doing this. His hair was always so soft and she enjoyed towel drying it, letting the soft thick strands of it fall from her fingers. Once it was dry, she took his comb and styled it. Of course, his hair fell the way it was suppose to so it didn't take much effort. He didn't make any sound or movement while she did his hair but she hoped that if she was enjoying it that he would too.

She dropped the towel in the basket with the yesterday's clothes and grabbed his new ones. She looked around his medicine cabinet and found his deodorant. She walked back to him and smiled softly at him.

"Please get dressed and then we can do something. We can watch TV or I can read you a book." She offered hoping to get something out of him. He placed his hand on the top of his clothes but his face didn't change. She left him alone and walked into the living room.

Ren was a minimalist. He actually had a lot of stuff but he never really used most of it. She wondered if it was mostly for show, as if he just rented the condo fully furnished. He did actually like movies though and he had a large collection hidden behind a panel door. She opened up the hidden shelves and looked through them. There was absolutely every type of movie and she was surprised to see some of the selections. She wanted something light hearted but nothing with drama. She really didn't know what to pick since she didn't know what the problem was.

Nothing with car accidents or fights, so that meant no action movies. She didn't want a drama because most dramas had some sort of sad thing and then a happy thing. She sighed. Nothing seemed appropriate. A comedy would be like she is trying to make fun of whatever he is going through and she herself couldn't watch a horror. Romance was...

She stopped watching romantic movies because she thought they portrayed a false hope, but a romantic movie was actually one of the best choices. It was light hearted. If she chose the right one, there would be no sad parts and gentle with the comedy. He had a lot of American movies in here. She never really had time to watch much but she did see one that she remembered. She tried to run her mind through it and she couldn't see any fault with it.

She set up the Blue Ray player up and got ready. She wasn't much of a snack person and she really didn't think he would eat anything if she made it so she just got him another glass of water and hoped he would drink it. She walked back into the bedroom and found him dressed sitting on the bed. She was relieved that she didn't have to dress him. The gods were with her on that one.

"We are all ready in the living room." She started to walk abut he didn't get up. Her smile wilted and she took his hand. It was still warm and still very nice to the touch. She was sure that she was going to be punished for taking so many liberties with him being just herself but it was better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

She led him to the living room and he sat down. Well he plopped down on the couch. She took the remote and sat a respectable distance away then started it up. The sound of a dial tone start and a little envelope with a heart comes whooshing by. Meg Ryan's voice starts up as Tom Hanks starts checks his email. You've Got Mail. She thought this was a sweet movie. She saw it years ago and deep down she was sort of happy to watch it again.

If only her mind could focus on the movie, she probably would have enjoyed it so much more. She kept looking over to him, watching to see if he watched or smiled or anything. He sat there, his right arm resting on the arm rest of his couch, the other lay limply next to his thigh, his palm slightly up. His chest rose up and down in even breaths, he blinked every now and again. She sat next to him with her ankles crossed in front of her, her hands in her lap and she sighed.

She looked down at his hand lying lifelessly between them. She scooted over a little towards him and picked up his hand. It was heavy, the type of heavy of dead weight. She pulled his hand over her lap and wrapped both of hers with his. It was a small comfort, something that she would have wished for in her time of need. If she had someone to help her through the times, to give her a warm embrace then maybe she wouldn't have lost her ability to love.

If Kanae was her friend before Sho, maybe she would have helped her recover and she would be able to love again. Maybe she would have been able to fall in love with a man like Ren, someone who was kind even at his most troubled of times, someone who even now, made her heart skip a beat.

The movie ended and she made dinner. She hand fed him again but she didn't mind. She really didn't know what he did on his free time so she just talked. She talked about anything she could. Her favorite things like color and foods. She told him about any random thought that came to mind. She stayed away from anything that reminded her of Sho, since she knew that he didn't like him much. She spoke about the future, her dreams for herself, for him. She wondered if he was surprise that she had dreams for him as well.

Who dreams for other people? For him to become a world renowned model and actor, one that everyone knew and would speak about. She spoke of all the awards he would get, the people he would meet and the places he could go.

"It would be so much fun going to places like Paris, France or Florence, Italy. Go and see Stonehenge in England and search for the Lochness Monster in Scotland." She giggled. She held his hand till it got late. She would caress it gently and sometimes move it around as she spoke but she always kept the contact. She yawned. The lack of sleep from the night before caught up to her. She looked at him. Would he be able to sleep?

"Are you tried?" She asked in vain. She knew he wouldn't answer but she still hoped. It was 10:30.

"Let's get ready for bed." She stood up and pulled on his arm gently. He followed her with less resistance than before. Her lips twitched with happiness and she led him to his bedroom. He sat down and she went to his drawers again. She had a hell of time searching for his sleepwear when he was sick. Everything was still the same and she found them right away this time. When she turned back he was already lying down on his side in the middle of his bed. She walked around and found that he was still awake and she sat down.

"Don't you want to get into something more comfortable? You'll get marks all over your skin if you sleep in your jeans." She waved his pajamas in front of him and her smile wilted slightly. She set the clothes down beside him and brushed the hair away from his face.

"Goodnight, Ren." She whispered and squeezed his hand gently. She stood up and felt his hand squeeze hers then let go just as quickly. She turned towards him suddenly but he closed his eyes and she dismissed it to her hopeful imagination.

She fell asleep after a little effort. She didn't sleep well, waking up at every sound and checking up on him. Around 2am, she found a half empty bottle of rum sitting on the floor. She frowned. _When did this get here? _It wasn't in the room before so he must have gotten up and grabbed it. The question was where did he get it from?

She closed the bottle and walked out. As she searched she thought about just throwing it down the drain but he wasn't an alcoholic. _Yet,_ she added. He's never been drunk at work and he is very responsible so she shouldn't be so drastic as to dump the rest of the contents. Still, she didn't like him drinking so much. She knows a little can be very relaxing for some but he was drinking hard liquor and lots of it in a short amount of time.

She found the spot he kept it. There was actually a whole cabinet dedicated to just alcohol. It was on the top cabinet just over his countertop so she climbed up and set the bottle in. She looked through them; vodka, bourbon, gin, cognac, sake and then he had about three bottles of wines, a merlot, cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir. Most of the bottles were never opened. The only ones that were opened were the gin and now the rum.

Kyoko frowned. She knew he drank, he drank as Cain, but to have this much. She closed the door and hopped off. It was his life, he probably only drank a little, like a night cap and he liked variety. Never mind the fact that he only had two bottles open. She returned to the guest room and snuggled back into bed. She didn't feel like she did anything to help him today… yesterday.

She was able to get him to eat after a fairly traumatic episode. When he first started she was terrified and during her shower she found lingering evidence of the event. Her ear had little teeth marks and he did in fact break a little bit of the skin. One side of her neck had small darkening love marks and then the area around her right breast and her wrists were tender.

But the second time, the second time was extremely different. She knew she wasn't ready. The thought of it still frightened her but if she thought of the things he did. The way his kiss softened and then his hands moved down her arms. Her body shivered at the feel of his body on top of her. Thinking back on those, she would like to say that they felt good, that given the right time and a much slower pace, she would have enjoyed it.

While that was the right place, it was the wrong everything else. When he took her hand and forced her to touch him, her fear multiplied. She truly did think he was going to do it. He was hard. He was ready and she couldn't leave. She didn't know what kept her there but she was thankful he was bluffing. While she did tell her self that she was going to let him do this, she didn't really know if she could have handled it afterwards. Her mind couldn't comprehend how she would have felt. She's been used before, but never like that.

She shut her eyes and stopped her imagination. Nothing happened. He stopped and was never intending to do anything to her. He wanted her to leave and he tried to scare her. Well, he didn't try; he did scare her but after that everything got better. Well, no it didn't. He acknowledged that she existed which was better, but nothing else changed.

_What makes him happy?_

Acting and….

She stopped. That can't be it. Movies, he enjoys watching movies but that didn't work. He worked out but she didn't know if he did that because he enjoyed it or because he has to like Kanae. Perhaps she was too tried to think of this. She was ashamed to think that she didn't know the things her sempai liked to do.

She closed her eyes, determined to try and go back to sleep but her mind had different plans and continued to think. He didn't listen to music. He didn't cook. He was always working because it's what he loves to do. She turned roughly in her sheets and groaned. All he did was sleep and act! This man wasn't human. She opened her eyes and looked at the alarm clock. It was 3:30 am. Another lost night. She sat up and looked over to her overnight bag. The okami-san was kind to pack a bag for her and Yashiro brought it over along with her list of groceries. She crawled off the bed and took out Corn.

"Corn, help me. Help me help him. Please." She pressed the little stone between her hands. After a moment, she stopped and sighed. The stone is supposed to take away the carrier's sadness. She wanted to take away his sadness not hers. He didn't believe in it so it probably wouldn't work for him if she gave it to him. She sat on the bed and looked at the stone. She smiled softly at it as she thought of the boy who gave it to her.

"Wait!" She perked up and started thinking. She remembered something. She found him outside in Karuizawa. He was just standing outside early in the morning just there. She never asked him what he was doing out there. She was so worried about whether or not he was still upset that she forgot to ask. He was out there for a reason. Perhaps he likes the outdoors as much as she does.

It was worth a try. She was out of ideas and what would be the harm? If it didn't work, she could take him to a hotel and they could come back the next day. She smiled. She had a plan but getting him there would be interesting. She grinned, happy to be going back and hoping that it will help. She felt sleep pull at her, her mind finally satisfied with something else she could try that her body instantly fell asleep.


	2. Greatest

**A/N: Here is part two. I still don't own Skip Beat! or the inspired song. This part is inspired by Greatest by Lady Gaga. Enjoy!**

It was close to 8 before she opened her eyes. She blinked into the early morning light and her thoughts started rushing to the front. She pulled out the sheets and half ran out the door. She peaked inside of Ren's room and he was still asleep. She smiled and then prayed that this would work.

She went back into the guest room and dialed Yashiro.

"You want to what?" He exclaimed.

"Take him camping. Just for the weekend. I just need you to pick up a few things for me and maybe you can make traveling arrangements. I don't think he will want to drive the six hours to Kyoto." She was pinning her phone between her ear and shoulder while she started making breakfast. She would first make breakfast and then start prepping food for the trip.

"But, Ren is a city boy. I mean. I just can't see him roughing it." Yashiro paused, "To be honest, I really can't see you doing it either."

Kyoko laughed, "Well see there you go, I love the outdoors. I think it's wonderful to just go out and be with the… be with nature." She was about to say fairies but caught herself.

"I think this will be good for him. No one will be around but me. He can just yell and scream or cry and wallow and just let it all out. Anything that he needs to do, he can do freely because no one is there to judge him. No one will reprimand him if he does something unprofessional. Here, it can still feel like he is being watched so he has shut himself down. Please let me do this. Please help me. If it doesn't work then we will come back the next day." She paused and no one said anything for a moment.

"It's all I can think of right now." She whispered.

"Okay. I'll arrange everything and get you what you need. Don't worry about anything and I'll see you in an hour."

"An hour? Um, I need more than an hour but I want to get there quickly. Okay just give me two hours and we will be ready."

Kyoko started to relay everything she needed for the trip but Yashrio quickly stopped her.

"Don't worry, I'll get you everything you need. Are you sure you want to camp there though? Won't it bring up some bad memories for you?" He didn't want her to be upset just as Ren was.

"There are no bad memories where I'm taking him, just my favorites. Thank you, Yashiro-san." They hung up and Kyoko went into overtime. She made a very quick breakfast of miso soup and rice. She wasn't sure if he would eat the rice but it wasn't going to go to waste if he didn't eat it. She was planning on taking a bunch with them. First thing first, was to get him up.

She filled up a glass of water and got more aspirin. She walked into his room and he was still asleep and she really didn't want to wake him up. Still she had to get him ready and she wanted him to have enough time for his long showers and his slow eating.

"Ren." She whispered. It was the only thing he responded to, his first name and she didn't want to waste time trying different things. He didn't move.

"Ren, wake up. We are going on a trip, just us, no one else." She paused. He didn't open his eyes but then his breathing changed. He was awake but didn't want to get up. She set the glass down and she reached out for him.

"Ren, I know you are awake." She brushed back the hair from his face and let her fingers run down the side of his face. He blinked red eyes to her and she offered a small smile.

"Good morning. I'm sorry to wake you up so early but I need you to get up so we can leave. Breakfast is ready and you can shower after we eat. Then I want to take you somewhere special." She smiled sweetly as she said the last line. She blinked in a little bit of shock as he sat up without complaint or her assistance. She stood up and picked up the glass and aspirin and held it out to him. He took the items and took them quickly. He didn't empty the glass though.

"Drink it all." She commanded and he did. She was so happy but he still didn't speak to her. He still looked so crushed.

"Okay, let's go eat and then you can shower and change." She reached for his hand but he stood up and started walking out the door. Her excitement wilted a little but he was listening to her, doing things of his own will now. This was progress but she didn't know if it was good progress.

She followed him out and he went to the small table and sat down on the floor while she went to the kitchen. She poured the soup into two bowls, less for him than herself and then placed them on the table. She returned and scooped out two bowls of rice, turned around and then froze.

He was eating it or drinking it. He picked it up and just started to drink the soup impatiently. She walked up and set the rice bowl down and he kept drinking it down. She saw a drip fall from the corner of his mouth, down his chin and drip onto his t-shirt but he didn't seem to care. She left for a moment to get utensils and then she sat next to him. He finished the soup and set the bowl down then he picked up the rice bowl.

She was shocked that he was going to eat that much. He didn't eat anything yesterday so then maybe that is why he is eating now. As he picked up the rice bowl, she was a little curious if he was going to eat it with his hands. Nope, but he didn't go for the chopsticks either. Instead, he took her spoon from her bowl. She didn't bring him one well because he was drinking the soup.

She smiled at him as he ate large spoonfuls of rice. _Even in his depressed state he is cute. _She thought to herself and blushed. He is in this horrible state and she thought he was cute. _So wrong, Kyoko. _She stood up and got another spoon and ripped off a paper towel for him. He ate the rice slower this time, since it involved chewing. When he was done, he set his bowl down, stood up and started walking back to his bedroom. She hoped he wouldn't go back to sleep. She smiled softly at the unused paper towel. He didn't even clean his face.

After she was done eating, she went in to see what he was doing. The room was empty but the bathroom door was closed and she heard water running. She smiled pleased with his efforts. She went to the kitchen and cleaned up. Then she started to make onigiri for the trip. She prepared other things but most would have to be made there on site. She packaged away easy to make things and little things that would be needed in tupperware. She hoped that Yashiro did bring a cooler… with wheels.

Kyoko did all she could do in the kitchen and started to go back for Ren. He was still showering when she entered his room. It's only been about 25 minutes so she wasn't worried. Today was Friday. That means she had two nights and two days to pack for if they returned Sunday. She opened the closet and looked through his clothes. The pants were easy as were his underwear and socks but then she looked at his shirts. He had so many very nice shirts. She couldn't decide which would be best for camping. All of them she couldn't imagine dirtying.

Finally she found something in cotton after passing all the silks and other assorted cloth blends unsuitable for the outdoors. She pulled out a few tanks and then a couple of light button ups, some short sleeved and others long. She was probably over packing but she wanted to be prepared for the weather. It wouldn't do to get him sick over cold weather. She was folding everything up when the door opened. She turned to him with a smile and then quickly looked away. He was still drying off and didn't really bother with covering himself up. She felt her face heat up as he approached her.

"I'm so sorry. I'll leave you to change." She saw his arm reach for the clothes she pulled and tossed on the bed which meant that he blocked her exit out as he dressed behind her. So instead of leaving, she simply sat on the bed with her back to him and closed her eyes. She could hear the cloth slip over his body. Once she heard his zipper she thought it safe to wonder the room.

"Um, we'll be gone for a few days. Yashiro-san is getting everything for us and then you will be free from everything here." She spoke as she pulled out another set of clothes for him. She turned and he sat on the bed, fully clothed and waiting.

"Free from the stress and pressure. Free from the expectation of others. It will be nice. The moment you leave the city, you'll feel so much better." She picked out all his clothes but then she couldn't find his suitcase or a travel bag of some sort. She knew he had to have something since he always traveled.

"Now if I could only find your suitcases, I can pack your things." She was going through his closet and then stopped as she noticed him stand. He walked out of the bedroom and then returned with a duffle bag. She smiled and took the bag from him.

"Thank you." She smiled up at him and he just looked at her. She turned and started to put his clothes into the bag. He sat back down beside her and just watched her. She wanted to ask what he was thinking about but she worried that he wouldn't tell her. She wondered what was going through his mind this whole time and the only clear thought he has said to her was "go home".

Well it was too bad for him. She was going see this through to the end. He was always there for her. It could be the middle of the night and he still helped her. He helped her with so much and she wanted to help him. She disappeared into the bathroom and found his personal items. She was thankful she was already pretty much packed. All she had to worry about was him.

Yashiro came by as promised, right on time. Ren was sitting on the couch looking sad but no longer in a daze, just upset.

"How is he?" Yashiro whispered and Kyoko looked back at Ren momentarily.

"Um, well. He is doing things if I tell him to but he hasn't spoken since yesterday. He is still really upset with whatever it is that is going through his mind."

"He spoke?" Yashiro finally turned to look at her and she nodded with a small smile. He frowned and noticed the marks on her skin. He turned to her left with concern on his face, "Did he do this to you?" His fingers hesitated by her neck.

She blushed and covered her neck with her hand, "Uh, yeah. You were right about him trying to get me to leave."

"He didn't…" He couldn't finish his sentence and she shook her head.

"No. No, I said stop and he stopped and then he gave up fighting me." She said timidly.

Yashiro was fuming. He recognized those marks. Those could only be caused by his mouth and with a lot of force. They probably hurt her every time she moved her neck. He used sex to try and drive her out? What was he thinking? To touch her in any forceful way was just not him. He thought he would get angry and yell at her, not force himself on the girl. He even claims to love her!

"Yashrio-san, did you just buy a cooler?" Her words brought his attention back to her. She was looking into the hall and was acting normal. Well she seems to have gotten over what he did. When he came out of this little snit he is going through, he was going to have a long and hard lecture on how to treat the woman he loves.

"No, everything is the car waiting for you downstairs. I just thought you would want to pack this up. Are you ready?" He noticed two bags sitting next to the door, the one that he got from her landlords and then one of Ren's smaller bags.

"Yes, let me just fill this up then." She took the cooler and while it didn't have wheels it wasn't very big. She pulled it into the kitchen and she watched Yashiro walk over to Ren. He smiled gently at his charge and then kneeled down in front of him. He was talking to him but she couldn't hear his words. It was probably something private so she continued to pack. Once she was done, she closed it up and found it a little heavier than she thought it would be. She dragged it over to the door and then looked around.

Yashiro stood up and looked at Ren with a sympathetic worried look. He turned back to Kyoko and smiled for her. "All set then?" He asked and she nodded. Both looked over to Ren, who didn't move. Kyoko walked over to him.

"Let's go, Ren. I'm going to take you to a nice quiet place." She took his hand and he looked up at her. He was masked. She couldn't see anything in his eyes or face that could clue her in to what he was thinking. She tugged gently on his arm and he pushed himself off the couch.

Yashiro was stunned and ecstatic at the same time. She was calling him Ren and touching him so easily. She was taking him into the woods; just the two of them for two days and it was her idea. Ren, the Ren he knew would be in high heaven right now, but right now he wasn't feeling anything. He just followed her words with a blank face. He hoped this worked. He wanted his friend back.

"Yashiro-san, could you help me…" Kyoko started asking and had her hand on the handle of the cooler then was interrupted as Ren bent down and lifted the cooler without being asked to do so. He hiked it up on his right shoulder and then bent down and lifted both his and her bag.

"I can get…" She spoke again and he just walked out. "those." She finished and looked at Yashiro who sort of just watched Ren.

"He never did like me carrying his stuff but why would he take mine too." She whispered. She locked up the apartment and they trekked down stairs.

They were to take the Tokaido Shinkansen straight to Kyoto. They even booked the nozomi train which had only like three stops total, one at Nagoya, then Kyoto and finally Osaka. This was the most expensive ticket and it would only take 2 hours to get there. She remembered going to Tokyo with Sho, it took them about 8 hours with all the different stops they were force to take on the cheapest ticket there was.

"We got you a private room in the train and there will be a car waiting for you at the station when you arrive. They will drive you to the closest hiking trail where you are going to camp." Yashiro handed her a card, "Call this number when you want to head back and they will pick you up back in that spot." He handed her another envelope, "These are your return tickets and they are good till Monday, so you can return whenever you like till then."

"I wasn't really expecting all this. Thank you, Yashiro-san." She was a little overwhelmed with how this last minute trip all worked out.

"I would not have provided anything less. You shouldn't have anything to worry about but…" he paused and looked at Ren. He was staring out the window completely ignoring the things around him. He turned back to Kyoko and repeated his thought, "nothing to worry about."

"Be careful and call if you need anything. Even in Kyoto. Take care of him." Yashiro smiled and left with the car after they checked in their luggage. The train would board in ten minutes or so.

When they arrived she disguised Ren in his cap and sunglasses. She was more than worried about someone recognizing him during this time. It wasn't that she was worried about his fans. She just didn't want anyone making him feel worse. They wouldn't understand what was happening and they could make things worse for him. She kept him hidden in the corner of the station. If anyone approached them, she instantly attacked, Mio glaring at them. There was a large circle of empty chairs around them that no one dared approach.

Their train was finally ready to board. She picked up Ren's hand and he followed her obediently. He was looking down, his face was hidden and very few looked their way. She hugged his arm as she led him through the crowd making sure he kept up. She handed the tickets to the checker.

"Go to the front and give these to that man over there." He pointed at another man about four carts up. She smiled and thanked the worker. She looked up at Ren who was just solemn and then squeezed his hand. There were less people as she went up but that didn't stop the few that were there from looking at the tall handsome man.

"Is that Tsuruga Ren?" Kyoko's demons heard his name and went on high alert. She turned to the sound of two girls whispering to each other.

"But who is she?" The friend whispered back callously.

"Who cares, let's go meet him! It's Tsuruga Ren!" As soon as the first girl took a step, a cold ghostly embrace gripped the girl's ankles. She stumbled over onto the floor and her friend rushed to her side.

"Yumi! Yumi, what's wrong?" The friend panicked as Yumi coughed and choked on some unknown thing.

Kyoko and Ren walked up to the man waiting at their cart and she smiled sweetly at him as she handed the tickets.

"Yumi! Breath!" People rushed over to the girl hacking behind them.

"You are in room 2 the first on your right. Enjoy your trip." The man said and looked worried behind them.

Kyoko bowed as she took back her tickets and then bowed, "Thank you." She stepped on first; her fingers still intertwined with Ren's. He followed suit stepping up and as soon as he was out of line of sight, Yumi started gasping for breath, suddenly able to breathe again.

Kyoko had never been in a private anything really. While they did have a private room, the room was still very, very small. It was just a small room with two benches facing each other. There were overhanging racks where people could put their things and that was it. It was difficult for her to imagine four people actually sitting in this little room but she was thankful that she didn't have to. She slipped in and she heard Ren close the door behind them.

She turned towards him in the tight quarters just as he sat down. She turned to sit across from him and was slipping her hand from his but he stopped her. She looked at her hand and his fingers tightened between hers. She looked to him and he was looking at her. He had removed his hat and shades. He pulled her arm gently and looked to the seat next to him.

She didn't move. Her heart was pounding, he was opening up again and she sort of froze up in excitement. She felt him slipping away. He was pulling his hand back and she just knew he thought she rejected him. She quickly gripped his falling fingers and took his hand in both of hers. She turned and sat down next to him. She tucked her arm under his and slipped her hand back into his.

The train started after a little bit. She didn't think to bring any entertainment for the ride over. Everything was packed with her clothes. She looked up at him and he had his head tilted back and his eyes closed. Perhaps he wanted to sleep. She did wake him up rather early. She looked at their hands and blushed.

She never thought to be so bold with him in the past. Perhaps playing Setsu convinced herself that it was okay. That if he was in need, she could do this for him, at least this much for him. She idly ran her thumb across his forefinger. She smiled as he did the same to her hand. She leaned towards him, resting her head on his shoulder as he continued to lightly caress her.

Kyoko felt gravity disappear as if she was flying. She looked around and found a man holding her. She couldn't truly see him but she knew deep down it was Corn. He was grown up and flying. He was flying with her. She smiled at him as he finally escaped his father's grasp and he came back for her.

She opened her eyes and found Ren holding her gently in his arms. Her whole body came aware and awake and she pushed at his shoulder gently. He looked down at her and set her down. She blushed.

"I guess I fell asleep huh. I'm sorry, Ren." She bowed slightly and then she felt his hand on her arm. She looked up at him and he looked like he was in need. His hand slipped down her arm and his fingers lightly touched her hand. He was asking permission. She smiled. After all the times where she just took his hand, he was the one to ask permission. She took his hand and brightly smiled up at him. She could have sworn she saw his lip twitch but he looked away and was stoic again.

She sighed and started to look around. "We need to pick up our luggage and then find the car Yashiro booked for us. I wonder if I have to call them first." She was reaching for her pocket when she felt Ren move. She looked up and saw him looking in the distance. Looking over she saw a well dressed driver holding a sign with her name, Mogami, written on it. He started to walk towards him but Kyoko held still bring his attention back at her.

"Ren, talk to me, please." She pleaded with him. She never thought she would miss his voice so much. She has spent days, weeks without hearing from him yet right now; being with him like this and with him not speaking was tearing her apart. He licked his lips and she eagerly awaited his words but nothing came out. He turned away and started walking, his hand slipping from hers.

"Ren." She whispered her voice thick with the threatening tears. She half ran and caught up to him. She hooked her arm with his and kept up with his pace.

"I'm sorry." She said without looking up at him. He bent his arm up, making hers link with his as if he was escorting her. They reached the man and she bowed.

"I'm Mogami Kyoko. Yashiro Yukihito hired you for us?"

"Yes, Mogami-sama. I have your things in the car and we can depart when you are ready." He bowed.

"Oh, really? Um okay. Well we can go now." They started to walk and then suddenly her stomach made a loud grumbling sound.

She blushed, "I guess we should eat first." She thought about where to go while they walked. Then she bounced excited, "Oh! We can go to Daitokuji Ikkyu. It's a shojin-ryori restaurant. It's really good even without the meat."

The driver was a local and knew what she was talking about. She offered him to join them but he decline. She didn't want him to wait but he told her he would take his break and not to worry. The place wasn't busy since most people were still at work at this time. She was thankful. Their lunch was quiet with fast service. She actually ordered for him since he didn't even look at the menu. He didn't complain with what she got him and ate quietly.

It was around 1:30 when the diver arrived at the hiking trail they were going to take. She popped out of the car while Ren slowly eased out and it was exactly the way she hoped, peaceful and completely void of anyone but them. The driver popped the trunk and started to pull out their things. In all honesty, she didn't look at the equipment that was bought for them until now. He pulled out the cooler, their two bags and then two massive backpacks.

"What in the world did he buy?" She stepped up to them. One was obviously smaller than the other but that didn't make it any lighter. She turned it over and saw that each of them had a sleeping bag with a mat, then an additional blanket. Then it looked like Ren's had the tent strapped to the side along while hers had the small shovel and rope. They both had a flashlight to the other side of the bag along. Then hers had a small frying pan hanging from it while his looked like it had a dismantled fishing pole. That was all she saw on the outside of it. She was really curious to see what was inside but that would cause the day to be wasted.

The last thing that was pulled from the trunk was four gallons of water. She knew the water here was drinkable but it was still thoughtful. She looked around to find Ren missing.

"Ren?" She started to walk but then remembered the driver. She turned back to him and said her thanks. She told him they were fine and that she would call when they were ready to go home. He smiled at her and tilted his hat then drove off. When she turned around again he was there as if he appeared like mist.

She half laughed, "Alright! Let's go. It shouldn't be a long walk, maybe thirty minutes or so." She bent down and hauled her new backpack onto her bag. There were about three different placed that were used to strap the sucker on. Once it was all connected it was actually easier to carry than pick up. She smiled as she walked around with the weight. She thought about the other items.

"Hmm. Maybe if we carry the cooler between the both of us and then each take two waters and our bags we can carry it all." She watched him lift his bag, slip his head and right arm through the longer strap and settled on top of his backpack. She thought it was brilliant so she did the same. He seemed to agree on everything but one thing. He took two gallons of water in one hand but he picked up the cooler and settled it on his shoulder again.

She didn't argue with him since it was pointless. They walked down the trail with a few breaks since she was worried about his shoulder. If it hurt, he never complained. About 45 minutes into it they found a grassy open spot and they settled there. She thought she was going to have to do everything. Not because he would be moping in a corner but because she didn't think he would know how to pitch a tent or that they had to dig a hole in the distance for Mother Nature to occur. He seemed to have embraced the trip. He fixed the tent… yes one tent but it was huge compared to the single person ones she was thinking of. He took the small shovel from her bag and a flashlight just in case and left. Ten minutes later he returned dumping the shovel to the side.

Kyoko went to collect firewood and was clearing out the area from anything that could catch a spark. She took the shovel and started to dig a shallow round area. She took some rocks and put it all together in a cute little teepee style. She started looking through her bag now.

There were several kits, first aid, sewing and a small tool kit along with a multifunctional knife. There was aspirin and antibacterial gel, tweezers, a small comb set, and a small compact mirror. There were several little bottles, bug repellent, hand soap, and sun block. Then there were extra batteries and waterproof matches along with a lighter and a fire starter. She found that there was a small foldable metal grill that she could put over the fire to cook with along with a small kit with basic seasonings like salt and pepper and sugar along with a can opener.

She laughed. There was even a single serving metal cup with instant coffee packages. There were several small packages of toilet paper and other wipes. She pulled out a small case with silverware, a fork, spoon and a dull knife and then they had some plastic covers if it rained.

"Yashiro-san truly did think of everything." She was putting things back when Ren sat down beside her. She looked around and the area was getting darker. It really was surprising how much time it took to set up camp. She smiled at him as he started to rearrange the fire wood. He was lazy about it, just taking each stick and moving it with one hand. She dug out the magnesium fire starter and held on while he rearranged everything. It looked like a little cabin.

She never seen it built like that before and was curious why he built it like that. She later found out that it was because it would burn slower that way. Once he was done he took the fire starter from her hands and sparked the flame. He fed it like a pro, never giving it too much and he blew on it lightly to give it just enough air. She smiled. She made the right choice. He wasn't a city boy. He was simply stuck living there like she was.

She stretched out and went to the cooler. She pulled out the food she made and then took some of the curry powder she packed. It would be vegetarian since she couldn't pack meat but she could make it work. He was hugging his knees as he watched her. She pulled and unfolded the metal rack or grill and set it over the flames. Then she started to cook the curry.

"I figured this would be nice. The rice will only be good for tonight and I wanted our first night to be special. I'm sorry it doesn't have any meat in it. I guess I shouldn't have taken you to a vegetarian place for lunch too." She blushed and glanced at him. He didn't respond, his eyes glancing at her and to the fire and back.

"I promise you will like it. I brought lots of things to put into it and your favorite." She pulled over a tupperware container and she scooted over to him while she opened it. "Onigiri!" She looked at his face and he looked inside the container. Inside were little triangles of rice with nori. Her smile softened and she set the container down in front of him and then went back to making the curry.

As she cooked her eyes flickered to him. He untucked one of his arms from his grip and lightly touched the edge of the plastic container. His finger lightly glided along the edge and then fell to the ground.

"You can eat one now if you like. It will be a just a few more minutes for this to come together." She offered and he took his hand back. She looked up at him and he was staring at her with this odd look on his face. It was blank as usual but there was something alive in his eyes.

"I wish you'd tell me what you were thinking." She half asked him, hoping he would answer and expecting him not to. He looked at her for a little bit longer as she stirred the curry. He stood up, walked behind her and then hesitated. She twisted to look up at him and then his hand rested on top of her head. After a moment he started to walk off with a flashlight in hand.

"Where…" He didn't stop walking and disappeared into the darkness. She let her sentence remain incomplete. He wasn't heading to the hole he dug and he wasn't heading down the trail. She felt her heart sink. Well this was what she wanted, for him to be able to do what he pleased without interference or someone judging him. She stayed where she was and finished cooking dinner. She ate but found that she didn't have much of an appetite. She packed things away and waited. She fed the fire to keep it from dying. She knew he had the flashlight but she wanted to keep this beacon up for him.

She peaked into the tent he setup and found that he setup both of their sleeping bags. The tent was so large it could fit four people comfortably, six if they squished together. That made their sleeping arrangements about as close as they were in the hotel room as the Heel siblings. She smiled sadly. Did he do this for her benefit or his? She couldn't tell.

She found the folded blanket to the side and pulled it out so she could lie next to the fire. She spread it out and rested her head on her folded arm. The fire danced in front of her face and her mind wondered.

_What happened? Why is he feeling like this? What about it made him lapse into this deep state of depression? Was he in a car accident? He never speaks about his family. Perhaps he lost them in a horrible car accident. He debut when he was around my age and there was never any mention of his family. _

Her eyes grew heavy and she could feel her body relax. She fell asleep with speculations and a heavy heart.

When she woke up she was in the tent. She didn't even remember a shift in gravity or if she dreamed that night. She turned slowly, trying to minimize the rustling of the sleeping bag and looked over to him. He wasn't there. She started to panic. The bag didn't even look slept in. She quickly scrambled outside and half fell in relief. He was casually sitting by a fresh fire and he already changed his clothes. He turned alert and concerned towards the tent at all the noise she caused.

She blushed lightly, "Good Morning, Ren." She paused wondering if she should even ask, "Um, did you sleep last night?"

He nodded. She smiled and crawled out eagerly towards him. She noticed that he had reheated the curry and all the onigiri was gone.

"Did you just eat this?" She asked and he nodded again. She pressed her lips together. She wasn't really sure if that was safe to eat anymore. Well it was gone, so there was no point in fussing with it. If worse came to worse they could end the weekend sooner. There was a cup on the fire at the moment with water slowly starting to boil. Then she noticed that there were already two empty coffee wrappers beside him. So this was his third cup.

"Thank you for putting me in the tent. I'm sorry for the trouble." She paused for a response but he didn't move. "Did you have a nice walk last night? It was very nice last night, not too cold or too hot." She was starting to make a simple hot cereal for herself as she spoke. He still didn't say anything.

"I hope today will be nice as well." She looked up, "There doesn't seem to be a cloud in the sky. As soon as I eat and change we can go for a walk. I want to take you to a very special place of mine."

She was heating up a cup of water as well and his was done. He took a thick but small pot holder and pulled it out. He poured the hot water into another cup and then held it out to her. She looked at it then at him.

"For me?" She asked in wonderment. He nodded softly. She blushed lightly and took the cup. "Thank you." As soon she took it he twisted beside him and then held out packages of sugar and there was even powdered creamer that she didn't notice before. Her smile widened as she took the little packages. She started to dump the extra things in her coffee as he watched her. She felt him move towards her and his hand brushed into her hair. She stilled for a moment and he continued. She didn't realize what he was doing until he started to move around her head.

He was combing down her hair. Blood flushed to her face as she realized that her hair was probably a mess. She laughed and kicked off the floor to rush to her bag. She pulled out her brush and then went to the other bag and pulled out the small mirror. She quickly brushed it down. She looked over her face and was tempted to brush her teeth but she thought to eat first.

She sat back beside him with a smile, "Better?" He didn't reply. It probably wasn't her best but she didn't have her hair products to style it like she would normally. Still it was better than before. She ate her breakfast and drank the coffee he made for her. She cleaned up, changed and she started to gather a few things for the hike.

"We are going east just a little bit. It shouldn't be far so we don't need to pack much food. We will come back and eat when we or I get hungry. Still I'll bring a few things if we need it." She took a few apples and some granola bars. She also grabbed a book that she packed. She wanted to give him his space, this time to do what he wanted, so she brought a book so he didn't think she was watching.

Well she would try not to, but she couldn't help but be concerned. She lifted the bag and a gallon of water. She had to admit this was handy. He stepped up beside her and took the water and then his fingers lingered on her hand. She smiled and lightly held it. She led the way since Ren hadn't been here before. She was thankful that he didn't stray far last night, these woods were large.

She spent enough time here to know her way around. They walked for about thirty minutes and then she found the clearing. She smiled up at him and ran into it.

"We're here! Isn't it beautiful?" She twirled around brightly. "This is where I meet Corn. He was standing right here." She stood by the stream. "And I came out over here." She ran to the now overgrown bushes that hid her little passage way. She kicked off her shoes and ran into the little stream. She shivered lightly, "It's a little cold." She laughed. She turned to Ren who was staring at the clearing with an aching look. Her heart thumped painfully. Almost as if she touched another bad memory.

"Ren?" She picked up her shoes and walked over to him, "I'm sorry. I didn't know and I thought maybe this would be nice. It's just like Karuizawa and I thought…. I'm sorry." She slipped on her shoes and took his hand as he just stared in front of him. "Let's go back. We can leave if you want."

She started to pull him but he stayed still. "Ren?"

He started to walk forward and his hand touched the large boulder that Corn sat on. She watched him look around and then sit on the large rock. He made it look so much smaller than she remembered. Corn had to crawl on top of it while Ren just sat on it. She tentatively walked over and kneeled down in front of him. She looked up at his face and he looked down at hers.

His hand came up and lightly touched the side of her face. She smiled slightly and tilted her head towards his hand. She lifted her hand and cupped his hand against her. She wanted to cry. She didn't understand what was wrong or how he was feeling. She closed her eyes trying not to let the tears drop. She didn't want him worrying about her when he had to deal with his own pain.

"Why?" He whispered and she jerked up at him. He was looking at her confused and sad.

"Why what?" _Why did his past have to happen? _She didn't know._ Why is life sometimes cruel to good people like him? _She couldn't tell him. He was wonderful and something in his life caused him this much pain. It wasn't fair.

"Why did you bring me here? Why are you doing all this?" His voice was so soft. He sounded so lost and her heart wept for him. She looked down and then back up into his eyes. Her heart was beating painfully in her chest and she could only say what was true.

"Because I can't stand seeing you this way." She brought his hand down and she held it in both of hers.

She pressed their hands to her chest, "It _**hurts**_ seeing you in pain like this." She felt her eyes start to water again.

"I don't know why you are hurting. I don't know what caused it and you don't ever have to tell me but I want to help you through this. I don't want you to lose your way, to waste another day like this." She paused and took a shaky breath. She couldn't hold her tears anymore.

"Ren" She spoke softly and looked away. "You mean so much to me. You don't know how much you've helped me this year. I would have never lasted as long as I did in your world if you weren't there. I would have gotten lost in this cruel careless world."

She looked up to him through watery eyes, "You're the best thing in my life."

Quicker than her thoughts, Ren slipped off the rocks and embraced her. He sat on the ground with her and hugged her to him, wrapping his body around her. She was more than willing to return the embrace. He buried his face into her hair and then moved down to the crook of her neck.

He hugged her so tightly and his body shook. After what felt like hours, he pulled back, his eyes shinning with unshed tears. His fingers moved from the back of her head to the left side of her face, they traced to her ear and then down her neck.

"I'm sorry." He paused indicating the marks he did. She shook her head.

"Don't be." She whispered and moved his hand to cup her face. She didn't care about who he was the days before. She knew that wasn't him.

"Kyoko…" He whispered but didn't continue.

"What? Do you need something? I'll get it. Do you want to run? I'll run with you. I brought you here so you can escape. Do what you want. I'll be there with you if you want me to."

He leaned in and kissed her. She froze for a moment and he pulled back with a small smile.

"Was that another thank you?" She was blushing as he gently held her.

"No." He whispered to her.

"Then why?" She couldn't feel her heart anymore. It was beating so fast that it was almost nonexistent.

"Because you are here with me, even after everything I did to you." He leaned in and kissed her again.

"Because I love you." He felt her stiffen in his arms. He knew she would but he wouldn't let her leave, though he didn't feel her try and get up. He hugged her against him again just enjoying her there. The pressure in his heart was lifted as he said those words. He never knew that him hiding those feelings were so heavy on him until he longer hand to bear it anymore. She didn't stay anything so he felt like he had to.

"Your mind must be racing. Please don't misunderstand. I truly do love you." He felt her hands tightened against him. "You don't have to respond. I know you are hurting too and I was always willing to wait. I still am. I'll wait until you tell me yes or no."

With everything that she did for him, everything she confessed, he knew that he would wait forever for her. He will tell her everything, from when they first met to his downfall and his love for her, but not now.

"Right now, I just want to spend this weekend with you like you planned." He let her go with a soft smile. "I promise I won't touch you or kiss you. Don't be frightened. Everything will stay the same. I just had to tell you how I felt."

He watched her, stiff and confused. He was elated that she didn't flat out say no to him. Logically, he knew she wouldn't but his heart still feared it. She didn't move from her spot between his legs and he sat back and just let her think things through. He felt like he should leave but he didn't want to. If she wanted to go then they would leave just like the option she gave to him.

Kyoko wanted to leave and stay at the same time, to say yes and no, to scream "I love you" and "I can't". She didn't know what to do with this new knowledge but she knew that she missed his warmth.

She turned around and he thought she was going to get up and walk back to camp. He started to get up but she instead leaned back pressing her back against his chest. He froze in shock and she looked up at him shyly.

"Is this okay?" She asked with that cutey honey face of hers and he couldn't help his smile.

"More than." He wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her waist bringing her closer to him.

"What do you want to do then? I brought a book, I can read out loud. Or we can talk or go for a hike."

"I don't care. Let's do them all as long as I'm with you." The words slipped out so much easier now. He smiled and nuzzled his nose into her hair. She smelled wonderful.

She blushed and snuggled up against him then started to talk about Corn, about this special place. He listened, smiling as she recalled their childhood memories together.

_Later. _

Later he would tell her and they would add this memory to the other happy ones in this place. Right now, everything was perfect just the way it is.

**A/N: If only the manga would have a break through like this. Ah but then what would we all have to write about then? Cheers!**


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